Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who may possibly not have been capable of being helped previously, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug use and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.